Decorative modular knob assembly for drawers, doors, cabinets, and the like



March 5, 1968 M. M. ADAMS 3,371,373

DECORATIVE MODULAR KNOB ASSEMBLY FOR DRAWERS, DOORS, CABINETS, AND THE LIKE Filed April 16, 1965 INVENTOR. MATTHEW M. ADAMS ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,371,373 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 DECORATIVE MODULAR KNOB ASSEMBLY FOR DRAWERS, DOORS, CABINETS, AND THE LIKE Matthew M. Adams, Arcadia, Califi, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Travis Plating Co., Inc., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 448,750 2 Claims. (Cl. 16-121) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A decorative modular pull or knob for drawers, cabinets, and the like, having multiple parts which may be assembled in various combinations to alter the size and appearance of the knob and include interchangeable colored inserts visible through ornate openings in certain of the parts.

The present invention, relates generally to decorative hardware; more particularly, the invention relates to a decorative modular pull or knob assembly for doors, drawers, cabinets, and the like.

Doors, drawers, cabinets and other similar household items which are Opened and closed or otherwise moved are generally equipped with handles for this purpose which are commonly referred to in the trade as knobs. In some cases, such knobs are designed to satisfy only their functional requirements and no particular attempt is made to provide the knobs with an aesthetically pleasing appearance. In other cases, knobs, while perhaps capable as serving as such, are designed primarily from the standpoint of appearance, either for the purpose of creating an aesthetically pleasing knob or complementing a particular furniture design. The existing knobs of this latter type are frequently deficient from the standpoint of functional utility.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a decorative modular knob assembly for the purpose described which possesses optimum functional utility and particularly unique aesthetic beauty.

An object of the invention is to provide a decorative modular knob assembly of the character described which is uniquely constructed in such a Way that the several parts of the knob may be arranged in different ways and combinations to vary the overall size, shape, and appearance of the knob.

An object of this invention is to provide a decorative modular knob assembly of the character described which is relatively simple in construction, economical to manufacture, permits a maximum number of overall knob configurations with minimum tooling, and is otherwise ideally suited to its intended purposes.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those versed in the art from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a decorative modular knob assembly according to the invention, illustrating the parts of the knob assembled in one way;

FIGURE 2 is a View of the right hand side of the knob in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view, partially broken away, of the knob in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view, on reduced scale, looking in the direction of the arrow on line 44 in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 illustrates an alternative manner in which the knob may be assembled to vary its overall size, shape, and appearance.

The present modular knob assembly illustrated in these drawings comprises an inner part 12, an intermediate spacer part 14, an outer part 16, interior chromatic inserts 18, and a fastener 20 for joining these several parts into a unitary knob structure and mounting the knob on a door, drawer, cabinet, and the like. In the drawings, the knob 10 is mounted on a door 22. The inner and outer parts 12 and 16 and thes pacer 14, of the knob have approximately equal dimensions measured along the knob axis and their exterior surfaces are spherically curved. Accordingly, when these parts are assembled in the manner shown in FIGURE 1, they form a knob with a generally spherical grip or handle. As will be explained presently, the spacer 14 may be omitted and the inner and outer parts 12 and 16 of the knob may be assembled in the manner shown in FIGURE 5. In this case, the assembled parts form a generally ellipsoidal grip or handle. As will also be explained, the chromatic inserts 18 may be incorporated in or omitted from either of the knob configurations of FIGURES 1 and 5 for the purpose of creating additional variation in the overall appearance of the knob.

The inner part 12 of the knob comprises a generally spherically curved relatively thin-walled body 24 and a boss 26 extending axially from the body 24. A smooth walled bore 28 extends through this boss from one end to the other. The interior spacer part 14 of the pull comprises a ring 30 Whose external surface 32 is spherically curved, as shown and as noted earlier. Extending axially through the ring 30 is a hub 34 to which the ring is rigidly connected by radial spokes or arms 36. Hub 34 ex tends a distance to either side of the ring 30 and has an axial bore 38 extending therethrough. The right hand end of the bore 38, as the pull is viewed in FIGURE 3, is counterbored at 40. The outer part 16 of the pull comprises a spherically curved, relatively thin-walled body 42 similar to the body 24 of the inner part 12 of the knob. Extending axially from the inner surface of the body 42 of the knob part 16 is an internally bored and threaded boss 44. The counterbore 40 in the hub 34 of the intermediate spacer part 14 is dimensioned to receive the boss 44 with a close sliding fit.

The knob assembly and mounting screw 20 comprises a long threaded stem 46 and a head 48 on one end of the stem. Stem 46 is axially and radially dimensioned to extend through the bore 28 in the inner pull part 12 and the bore 38 in the intermediate spacer ring 30 into the threaded socket in the boss 44 on the outer pull part 16, when these parts are assembled in the manner shown in FIGURE 1. When the knob is thus assembled, the outer, headed end of the screw 20 projects a suflicient distance beyond the boss 26 on the inner part 12 to permit the screw to extend through the door 22 or other item on which the knob is to be mounted. When the knob is assembled as shown in FIGURE 5, the inner and outer parts 12 and 16 of the pull abut one another with the result that the overall axial dimension of the knob is reduced by the width of the ring 30 on the omitted spacer 14. Accordingly, the knob, when thus assembled, requires a mounting screw 20 of shorter length than that required by the knob, when assembled as shown in FIGURE 1.

It is significant to note, at this point, that the bodies 24 and 42 of the inner and outer knob parts 12 and 16 have an open filigree design. This open filigree design maybe provided by any of the well-known fabricating techniques for this purpose, as by a molding or casting process. Accordingly, if only the three parts 12, 14, and 16 in FIGURE 1, or the two parts 12 and 16 in FIGURE 2, are assembled to form a knob, the finished knobs will have an open, airy appearance. If it is desirable to afford the knob with a more solid appearance, the chromatic inserts 18 may be assembled in the knob. When used, these inserts are assembled between the inner spacer 14 of the knob and the outer part 16. To this end, the chromatic inserts have outer, spherically curved surfaces 50 which are radially dimensioned to fit closely against the inner surfaces of the inner and outer parts 12 and 16, respectively, and inner surfaces 52 which are adapted to seat against the adjacent sides of the spacer ring 30. Extending centrally through the inserts are openings 54 dimensioned to slidably receive the spacer hub 34.

It is apparent, at this point, that when the knob is assembled with the chromatic inserts 18, each insert is exposed through the openings in the filigree design of its adjacent inner or outer knob part, as the case may be. According to the present invention, the outer surface 50 of each chromatic insert may be painted or otherwise treated to have a distinctive color which blends with the color of the remaining parts of the knob in such a way as to lend a particularly unique and aesthetically pleasing appearance to the finished knob. It is apparent, of course, that the chromatic inserts 18 may be employed either in the knob configuration of FIGURE 1 or that of FIGURE 5. In some cases the inserts and the spacer 14 may be fabricated of metal, like the inner and outer parts 12, 16 of the knob. In other cases, these inserts and spacer may be fabricated of wood or plastic. The use of a wooden spacer and wooden inserts may be particularly desirable when the knob is to be installed on a natural wood background.

According to one method of merchandising the present modular knob assembly, the various knob configurations may be packaged for sale individually. In this case, it would not be possible for each purchaser to alter the configuration of the knob, at least without purchasing additional parts for the knob. According to an alternative method of marketing, the several parts of the knob may be sold in kit form to permit each individual purchaser to assemble the parts according to his particular likes and dislikes. In either case, of course, it is evident that the present modular knob assembly permits a maximum number of overall knob configurations to be produced with minimum tooling.

Those versed in the art will appreciate that the present invention achieves the objects and realizes the advantages hereinbefore mentioned.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described herein, it will be understood that the same is merely exemplary of presently preferred embodiments capable of attaining the objects and advantages hereinbefore mentioned, and that the in- '4 vention is not limited thereto; variations will be readily apparent to those versed in the art, and the invention is entitled to the broadest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A modular knob assembly comprising: an inner part, an outer part, and an intermediate spacer part disposed between and in contact with said inner and outer parts, said inner and outer parts each comprising a hollow thin-walled body having an open side facing said spacer part, said spacer part having a central hub which extends axially through each of said inner and outer parts into contact with said body thereof, said inner part including an external, inwardly projecting boss aligned with one end of said hub and said outer part including an internal, inwardly projecting boss aligned with the other end of said hub, said hub and the boss on said inner part having aligned bores extending therethrough and the outer end of the bore through said hub being dimensioned to slidably receive the boss on said outer part, said latter boss being internally threaded, a combination assembly and mounting screw extending through said bores and threaded in said latter boss, thereby to join said parts into a unitary knob structure, and said spacer part being movable to vary the overall size, shape, and appearance of said knob.

2. A knob assembly according to claim 1 wherein: said inner and outer parts have ornate openings therethrough to the hollow interior of said latter parts, and a chromatic insert interposed between at least one of said latter parts and said spacer part, said chromatic insert having an outer surface which is exposed through the wall openings in the adjacent hollow part.

References (Iited UNITED STATES PATENTS 103,749 5/1870 Jones 16-121 201,719 3/1878 Taylor 16-121 547,305 10/1895 Turner 16118 1,568,883 1/1926 Danielson 16-121 1,613,751 1/1927 Hiering 292-347 1,710,452 4/ 1929 Drolette et al. 16-121 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

' MARVIN A. CHAMPION, CASMIR A. NUNBERG,

Examiners.

D. L. TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

